The All Purpose Advice Thread - Part 2

Funnily enough, gapless playback has always worked perfectly for me. I probably have a newer version of Moode than rhythmdevils.

I actually only listen to music with a local hard drive by usb. I also use BNC connection from my Gungnir A1. I've played around with all the buffer settings and nothing really seems to change. I've also been using an ethernet cable to rule out wifi latency as an issue. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find equivalent settings in Moode that @zonto mentioned. Don't really feel like going through the trouble of flashing/learning Ropieee just to test.

I actually think that the clicking after five seconds is a BNC thing and by design, as it doesn't happen when over usb. As long as I don't switch to a track with a different sample rate on usb, I don't get a click and that lost second of music. Oh well. BNC sounds loads better than Gen 3 usb, so I can live with it. Might be an incentive to try Unison in the future.

 

Hey look, @Metro to the rescue again!

My Pi2AES is connected via WIFI and I am only using it to stream Tidal and Qobuz because all my local files are stuck in Bandcamp where they don't allow batch downloading and I have hundreds of puchases that would take me years to download. All my old files from before streaming was a thing are available to stream.

Thanks friend!

 

@rhythmdevils, if you are using BubbleUPnP, make sure that gapless is turned on:
More tab => Settings (gear icon) => Renderers settings => Moode UPNP => Gapless control

 

Adding more details of my setup, in case any of these details help. I'm sure it is a Pi4 board - I wrote down somewhere the exact version, but would need to fire it back up to see the exact revision. Music is FLAC on a NAS. The RPi onboard WiFi is disabled - using an external WiFi dongle (blogs recommended Comfast CF-912AC, so this is what I use). Connection is via BNC to Gungnir Multibit A2. Gungnir was purchased a while back, so it does have the original VCXO and VCO inputs. When I booted MoOde, it was running an older release from June 2022. I updated it to release 8.2.4. I tested both with the old and new release versions of MoOde - I heard the clicks, but could not cause any obvious gaps or loss of audio. The worst test case was when I manually switched mid-track from 192kHz to 48kHz, and I lost about a half-second of music at the start of the next track.

Otherwise running defaults - gapless is perfect, and I do not hear gaps in the music. I also run USB into Unison, but that is from a different streamer - also no gaps.

 

Thanks for the info. I updated MoOde and messed some more with buffer settings and it sounds like the issue is slightly lessened. Could be wishful thinking. It really is only about a half second of audio loss whenever the relay goes off.

I don't see any way to completely fix it outside of resampling all my music and never pausing it, so I'll be content. It's much better than the issue I had with my Bifrost 1 multibit. That one became garbled and nasty sounding every time that the sample rate changed, and I had to manually cycle through the inputs to fix it.

 

For those with experience, what do you guys think of audiophile ninja cable vs ZMF OFC cable? I need to pick up a shorter (5-6 ft) single ended cable for my Auteur Classic, and may as well get something decent without breaking the bank.

 

@Metro I think this worked! Thank you so much!

I can't believe I've been living with that gap between songs for 2 years thinking it was a necessary evil of the UPNP protocol. Oh my God!

 

So I was wondering, if you dent a hole in the porous tape of one of those vents as highlighted in the picture, will you always get more bass, since the driver is able to breathe more? Ofcourse it’ll get compensated with adding a bit of foam in the cup for the high fr resonances, but I was wondering about the bass

Or is it possible that the bass can get lessened? If the bass can get lessened, why would this happen?

 

I run a stack, magni 2 and a modi multibit. I used to run an Eitr, when I first got it after using it for a while the USB chip in it went. I sent it back the Schiit and had it fixed. I bought it all second had so I payed out of pocket for the repair, that's ok. Recently it started intermittently not working and then I finally just stopped altogether, computer wouldn't detect it at all, USB chip again, Ive already talked to support and they confirmed it, this time I decided I didn't want to send it back as the cost of fixing it was start to get close to the original price of the unit itself. So Ive been running without it via USB to my computer and I can definitely tell a difference in sound when listening to music especially.

Is there anything else I can use to run the USB through that will decrapify it thats not a device thats no longer available? My motherboard doesn't have a spidif so thats not an option unfortunately.

Anything else I should look into to make it sound better?

I was holding out for the new modi MB or the MB boards for the Asgard or Jot, but it seems the Modi sounds significantly different from the original and who knows when the MB boards are going to be available so it would be cool if there was something I could do in the meantime.

Any ideas?

 

The simplest solution would be to get a decent SPDIF converter. These convert USB to another format (typically digital coax or toslink/optical), while decrapifying the USB signal. This article linked below names a number of them from 9 years ago (and there are others). You can still find many of these F.S. on the used market.

https://audiophilestyle.com/forums/topic/15026-15-usbspdif-converters-shootout/

I still have my Musical Fidelity V-Link 192/24. I use it to decrapify USB and convert it to digital coax, my favorite input for DACs. One of the biggest bumps in sound quality I got was upgrading my coax to a pricey silver cable (Oyaide DR-510) + that V-Link. Terrific sound. Here are a couple F.S.

https://www.canuckaudiomart.com/det...nk192-usb-gt-spdif-coax-or-aes-ebu-transport/:

http://www.echohifi.com/details/18308/Musical-Fidelity_V-Link-192

Or you could step up to the next level: a DDC (digital-to-digital converter). These are all the rage now. They're much like a SPDIF converter, in that they take a USB input signal and convert it to other formats (typically coax, optical, and/or I2S; and also reclocks the digital signal, eliminating most of the jitter.

My Matrix Audio DDC operates in my main system (headphones + speakers + sub). I "future-proofed" that system w/the DDC, since it outputs I2S as well as coax, so if I ever get a DAC that takes an I2S input (which looks like HDMI but is a bit different), I'll be set. I got a noticeable sonic bump from this DDC the second I put it in the chain in place of the V-Link.

Here's that DDC available new. I'm guessing this "2" version will still be on the F.S. market, since it was recently replaced by a "3" version: :
https://www.moon-audio.com/matrix-a...MIkuujxP6u_AIVJINbCh0q4wO_EAQYASABEgL3PfD_BwE

Here's that DDC F.S. on Head-Fi. IMO that price is a bit high, but I suspect it will come down when other "2"s join it: https://www.head-fi.org/classifieds/matrix-x-spdif-2-usb-audio-interface-aes-cable.38591/

 

Or if you want to stream also, you could take a step further and get a DDC-streamer, it will solve USB forever by eliminating the need for it entirely, while enabling you to cut the cord, so to speak, and stream directly from your phone or iPad or laptop.

The Pi2-designed Pi2AES LITE is a relatively affordable $250 Raspberry Pi HAT that goes on top of your Pi (like an actual hat) and runs independent of a dedicated computer. It has BNC (BNC is AES single-ended), coax & toslink optical. Just need to buy the Pi itself, I think the LITE even comes with an included case to put both together. If you're not into streaming, but you are a fan of CD media, I'd look into a cheap CD transport as your source, most of which have SPDIF.

 

Sorry for OT question but how different if any is lite compared og pi2aes? I want another as it's become my favorite source and I keep having to lug it back and forth between my speaker rig and headphone station.

 

@loki993 , this was recommended recently as a cheap but good Eitr replacement:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08HN3VSF8

 

I thought the only difference was no i2s and no aes balanced out... but IIRC, there is a chart on the website that outlines the differences https://www.pi2design.com/

 

I think, the LITE is missing balanced AES/EBU and i2S outputs, but has BNC, coax and optical, same as the regular Pi2AES. @Michael Kelly might be able to shine a light on other differences, or correct my understanding!

Edit: @dasman66 beat me to it.

 

I'll second what @Biodegraded listed above. I own one, and like it.

 

I think ill give this a try, Im trying to keep this as inexpensive as possible for the time being since eventually the whole stacks probably getting upgraded.

Thanks for the help all.

 

I'm a total noob when it comes to network streaming devices but am considering entering the fray solely because of an issue involving the DAC in an ATC SIA2-100 integrated amp and my Windows machine using JRiver MC, Qobuz and Foobar2000 (won't playback PCM files with a sample rate greater than 24/48 as the two seem to not be on friendly terms).

Assuming the compatibility problems are insurmountable, my options are to:

1. Down sample all my hi-res files so that the DAC in my ATC SIA2-100 stops stuttering
2. Buy a new DAC
3. Buy a streamer/server and connect to the digital input of the DAC in the SIA2-100

It has been put to me that option 3 would be a good way to go and I'm in communication with my dealer for a price on an Antipodes S30 server/streamer. He has one in stock that he ordered by mistake that he says he can sell to me for less than cost price, possibly as low as $1,500 USD, but yet to be confirmed. I'd need to sell some stuff to pay for it, though.

Coming around again to our starting point (that I'm a noob), I have a few questions:

1. Would my money be better spent on a DAC or a streamer, assuming a similar price point for both? Please give reasons for your answer.
2. Does anyone have experience with the Antipodes S30, or anything else made by them? Is there an alternative server/streamer you'd recommend for under $1.5K?
3. I don't really know all the ins and outs of streamers. Could I store digital audio files on the S30 and control playback from my laptop? I don't have an iPad to function as a remote and won't have the money to buy one if I decide to buy a new DAC or server/streamer. I imagine the screen on my iPhone X would be too small for my aging eyes to use as a remote/controller
4. The local ATC importer currently has my SIA2-100 for trouble shooting. If he is unsuccessful, is there someone on SBAF who'd be willing to hold my hand in an attempt to get the internal DAC to playback hi-res PCM files without stutter?
5. Are dedicated audio servers/streamers really better in general than a Windows machine as source? If so, in what way?

 

Did you buy the amp new recently? If so do not make ATC‘s Problem yours. If foobar, Qobuz and JRiver do not work and there is nothing wrong with the cable between PC and the DAC I cannot imagine that the DAC/Amp is not at fault. For the money that thing costs I would assume that it works according to spec. The only reason to buy the Antipodes would be to flip it. To get 4300 $ peace of gear for 1500 sounds fishy to me. If that is the dealer you bought the ATC DAC/amp from I would assume, his reckoning is that selling you the antipodes at that price is easier than taking back the misfiring ATC. My recommendation: do not spend any money for fixing a problem that ain’t yours.

 

Yeah, that reeks of the dealer trying to upsell you, to me re: the Antipodes rec, or they just don't know what they're doing with respect to troubleshooting this kind of problem so they're trying to kill two birds with one stone (make a sale and fix the issue by getting you to switch to a streamer so they don't have to find a solution with your PC). It's an on-board AKM DAC - nothing unusual or complex there - and reviews for your amp mention feeding it hi-res, so there's got to be something going on with your machine. Is it an old PC? What OS are you running? Etc. Issues like these are usually relatively simple to troubleshoot, and involve system latency, OS bloat, aging CPU's, or some combination thereof. The former two issues are often fixed with strategies like OS updates, re-installs, or optimization. Were you able to feed it hi-res before without issue, and it suddenly started to stutter, or have you never fed it hi-res prior to the issue?

Following from the above, if you have the cash to spend, it seems silly to me to spend a lot of it on a dedicated audiophile streamer only to then feed it to an on-board AKM delta-sigma DAC. DAC's benefit from their own power supplies and more real estate for things like DSP, USB reception, and output stages than can be accomplished from most integrated DACs like your amp's. Not to mention delta-sigma is just generally not favored around here for SQ (with some exceptions), so the DAC chip or solution itself (multibit from something like Schiit, or discrete ladder resistor from something like Soerkis) also makes a very large difference, much of the time. Do you have the ability to audition another DAC in your system?

Anyway, to go through your list:

1) see above
2) Don't get Antipodes. Mercury Streamer V2 or Holo Audio Red get good mentions and are under 1k. iFi Zen Stream also. I've never seen anyone but older ORFAS types get Antipodes, and they always just seem like overpriced glorified nothingburgers to me. They have an inroad with audiophile dealers and audio shows and stuff, and the older ORFAS crowd doesn't know enough about computer audio to call their bluff. Just my read, YMMV. Again though, strongly recommend not going this route to feed an internal AKM DAC.
3) n/a re: don't buy the Antipodes. Yes, most streamers have a functionality that lets you playback local files, whether by SD Card or a network attached storage or something else.
4) yes, I can
5) too many variables, but no, not necessarily